Raindrops
by TheLilyoftheValley
Summary: Dribble-drabbles of friendship fluff centered around Ratchet and Clank.
1. I

_(A user on Ao3 left a comment on "Under the Stars" I think about a week or so ago, and it made me realize that I haven't written Ratchet and Clank friend fluff since... last August? I figured I'd do something about that, but I couldn't write out a longer fic because I had to take a writing break over Spring Break [and also school takes up a lot of my time so I can't really work on longer stories like I would like to]. _

_I got inspiration for this fic from **Cimar of Turalis Wildehopps' "The Fluff Files"**. For those that don't know, it's a Zootopia collaboration fanfic centered around fluffy drabbles about a page in length. I've sent in two submissions for the collection so far, and I've liked the format so much it's inspired me to continue writing page-long drabbles for other fandoms. I figured I'd mimic the same kind of format for here: a collection of page-long fics that are fluffy and center around the main heroes just being friends.) _

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Song Inspo for this fic: the sounds of my own coughing since I got sick over Spring Break (though I am better now so thankfully I'm not behind in any schoolwork). **

Raindrops

I

The little metal arm, a full teacup clutched tightly in the hand, extended out.

The Lombax hand gently grabbed the handle, shaking as Ratchet tried to stop himself from shivering. He sniffed as he tried to breathe in the warm steam from the cup.

"Thanks, pal."

Clank lifted himself onto the edge of the bed, just beside Ratchet's hip, moving the wads of tissues to the other side of the Lombax. The little robot smiled as he worked. "It is no problem of mine Ratchet. You know I like to make you tea when you fall ill."

The happy sigh morphed into a hacking cough, and Clank laid a hand on Ratchet as the Lombax struggled to breathe. A few gurgles, and Ratchet slowly drew in air between his lips. The back of his throat was cold, dry, and hoarse, and Ratchet took a slow sip of his tea to soothe it.

He nodded to Clank, unable to say what the robot already knew.

Clank's face changed from its smile to one of concern, and the little robot opened his chest compartment to fish out a small bag of cough drops. "Ratchet," he murmured, "when you are done with your tea, would you like a cough drop? I was sure to add extra honey to the tea, however a cough drop may also help your sore throat."

Ratchet nodded again, wrestling down the next cough that threatened to overtake him.

The robot pinched out a cherry cough drop as Ratchet turned to look out the window of their room.

Raindrops decorated the windowpane, and Meridian City shone softly under the night sky. Usually the city was bustling and busy, though today… today had been a slow one, almost as if the city had fallen under one of the Time Bombs Clank had possessed during their whole adventure with the Clock.

The Lombax hummed as he reached for another tissue, only to have his hand meet an empty box. He turned, face falling at the empty cardboard.

Before he could even say a word, a brand-new tissue box appeared in front of him, a softly smiling robot behind it.

Ratchet gave the smallest laugh his throat would allow. "Is there anything you don't plan for?"

Clank giggled back, cracking open the top of the box and pulling out a tissue to hand to his friend. "Oh, only a few things… though I prefer to be prepared for situations such as these."

Ratchet buried his nose in the tissue, wet sounds coming from it as the Lombax tried to open up another way to breathe. Clank patted his friend's leg and absentmindedly handed him another tissue as Ratchet finished the one he had.

The Lombax smiled as he took the tissue from his friend's hand. "I think I better say this before my throat stops me," he said, his throat warm enough to talk for a moment. "Thank you Clank. For everything."

As he blew his nose and more snot rushed out before the next cough, the robot hooked an arm around the Lombax's legs and hugged them to his side.

"It is no problem at all, Ratchet."

* * *

_Again, this fic was inspired by "**The Fluff Files**," so if you like Zootopia and are interested in light, fluffy reading, do check it out and send some love. As of right now the stories I've sent in haven't been posted but are in the queue, and there are some really great stories there already. :) _

_Also to note: I'm not the first person in this Archive to do short drabbles. There have been other wonderful authors out there that have been indirect inspirations for this kind of fic, and I thank them for making such nice collections to read when I feel down. (Figured you guys should get a little credit too since this isn't really a new concept, and y'all have made some awesome stories that have inspired me to try this)_

_I don't know how often I'll update this thing, but it is something for whenever the inspiration hits. And it's something to at least act as a cool-down between schoolwork and other stories. Nonetheless, I hope you guys like this, and I'll see you all in the next story! :) _

_XD_


	2. II

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And yes, the majority of these stories will take place on rainy days, partly because sitting at home while it's softly raining outside is a calming setting for me and the goal of this collection (atm) is to be as calming as possible.**

Raindrops

II

As Ratchet's finger tapped the empty hotel level, the Lombax grinned.

Clank sat next to him, studying the little game with his usual intensity. "Hm… if you were to build another cuisine restaurant, you would be able to earn more coins at a ten percent increase."

Ratchet rolled his eyes as he tapped the "Cuisine" option. Little construction workers popped into existence, tiny 8-bit Terachnoids carrying little phaser guns that zapped at different parts of the floor level.

A "59 MIN" symbol popped up on the screen.

"Aw man. Clank-"

"You are able to use the Raritanium option and still hold enough leftover Raritanium for more upgrades later on."

Ratchet looked to the ceiling, relieved, as he tapped the "Rush" button. "Oh thank Orvus, I didn't want to wait that long."

"You know the waiting period will only grow longer with each new floor level."

The Lombax sighed as he lifted a different Terachnoid to the fourth floor by 8-bit elevator. The frown grew onto his face as his tail twitched under the huge blanket. "Why must this wholesome game make me wait to continue?"

Clank smiled as he playfully elbowed Ratchet. "'Wholesome?' Why, I never thought I would see the day my adrenaline-seeking Lombax companion settle for something so calming."

Ratchet smirked as he hooked his arm around Clank and crushed the robot against his side. "You know," he said over Clank's laugh, "sometimes a Lombax just needs a couch, a tablet, his friend, and a wholesome little game to take his mind off of stuff."

Clank leaned into his friend and pulled the blanket closer up his body as he turned his attention back to the tablet on Ratchet's lap. "Do you really enjoy it that much?" Clank asked as he glanced up at Ratchet's face.

"Yeah." Ratchet lifted another Terachnoid up to the third floor. "It's really nice to have simple things, you know? Simple moments like this? It's just us and some pixelated Terachnoids in 'Tiny Terachnos,' and the only thing we need to worry about is whether the shops need more stuff in them."

The robot patted his friend as the Lombax half-laughed. Ratchet leaned over, pushing Clank to the robot's right as Ratchet wrapped an arm around him. He balanced the tablet in front of them, the game easily visible.

"I'll go jump off a cliff with a hoverboard tomorrow," Ratchet joked as Clank mimicked rolling his eyes. "But for right now, it's you, me-" A ding sounded from the game. "Annnnd… apparently some guy named Hector."

Clank reached under the blanket and grabbed his stylus. He moved to tap at the tablet, a gleeful shine on his optics. "Well, we will need to make sure this 'Hector' is taken care of. Let us see his statistics, shall we?"

As Ratchet bumped his forehead on the top of Clank's head and gave the little robot a squeeze, the Lombax looked back to the game. "Alright, next floor level is your choice, pal."

* * *

_"Tiny Terachnos" is a play off of the phone and iPad app "Tiny Tower," a game that I had discovered a long time ago when I had first gotten my iPad. It's still going today (something I'm surprised at), and it's basically a simple phone game with 8-bit people. It's oddly charming to me and I can't pin down why, but I got the strongest urge to play it a few days ago when I was going through some stuff. It inspired me to write this. I couldn't help but picture Ratchet and Clank, both creatures having gone through a lot, just sit together and play a simple tablet game to pass the time and relax together. So yeah, that's how this came about. Not canon, maybe OOC, but something that made me feel a little better after I wrote it. _

_I hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you in the next drabble. :) _

_XD_


	3. III

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. This little short is partly based on a true story... mostly on the minor details of the story. **

Raindrops

III

"Okay, so how does this work again?"

"You will need to wrap the end around your finger, and then you will need to-"

The balloon shriveled in the Lombax's hand.

"Hm."

Ratchet huffed as he glared at the rubber in his hand. "I _really_ hate making balloons."

The little robot hummed again as he tapped his finger against his mouthpiece. There had to be a faster way to get this done…

The Lombax tossed the balloon away in the little garbage can next to him, leaning back against their living room couch as he reached for another. "We're never gunna get the five hundred balloons for Tal's party done in time at this rate," he grumbled.

Clank picked up the pencil from the coffee table, handing Ratchet another balloon. "Perhaps you could focus on the inflating portion while I focus on the tying portion?"

Ratchet sighed, then took the balloon. He blew air into it, and once it was big enough, he passed it to Clank. The little robot twisted the end of the balloon around the pencil and within a moment, the balloon was tied.

Clank playfully batted the balloon to Ratchet, who caught it as he grabbed another deflated balloon.

The Lombax laid back as his lips wrapped around the end of the deflated balloon. As he inflated it, he waved the filled balloon up-and-down.

"You know Clank," he said as he handed Clank the full balloon, "I should invent a balloon-tier thing, something that'll save me from balloon-tying frustration."

Clank couldn't stop the teasing smile from growing on his mouthpiece. "Well, you have invented sillier things before, so I am not surprised at the suggestion."

The Lombax turned his head, absentmindedly staring at the kitchen. "I wish we had some spare parts lying around… I _could_ make it, but the last few jobs have eaten up all my extra scrap metal…"

As he fished out another balloon from the bag, his eyes caught the side of their stove. He whipped up, ears alert. "Hey Clank, we're not using the stove too much anymore these days, right?"

"_Ratchet_."

"Don't worry about it, pal."

"We must focus our attention on the balloons for Miss Apogee's birthday party."

"It'll only take me five minutes."

True to Ratchet's word, it did.

True to Clank's word, Ratchet was still blowing up balloons as the duo hauled four hundred bagged balloons to Aphelion to make it to Talwyn's party on time after the balloon-tier device had exploded next to a bag of a hundred balloons.

* * *

_I do not know how to tie balloons, and while I've tried multiple times... well, to say the least, I won't be tying water balloons for any future kids I have. -_- _

_Random, but hopefully enjoyable! I'm thinking about adding a few fluffy AU concepts into the mix to spice things up, and ye, they'll still be fluffy and take place over rainy days (hopefully. I might change that for a few stories if my mind thinks up any ideas that require a different setting). _

_A little sidenote, but a huge thank you to you guys for sending in reviews! They bring a smile to my face, and I'll never say it enough of how thankful I am for them. To those that leave feedback for this story, I send you a huge hug and thank you! _

_I hope you guys enjoyed this little short, and I'll see you all in the next one! :) _

_XD_


	4. IV

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. I have a heckton of work for these next few weeks and I might not be too happy through them, but I've got these two, so they can help brighten my day when I need it. **

Raindrops

IV

As Ratchet threw another pair of underwear into the washer, the Lombax sighed.

Clank sat by the dryer, lifting shirts out of the open tumbler. The robot tilted his head as he put the green work-shirt on his miniature folding table. "Sigh?"

Ratchet dug through the heap of laundry behind his legs, fishing out more pairs of underwear to throw in. "I'm just kinda bored. We only got through the shirts, but we still got pants, underwear, and socks left to go."

Clank gave his friend a soft smile. "We could make this entertaining. Would you like to discuss the impact of Florianian moss on the delicate ecosystem of the planet?"

Ratchet choked out a laugh as his eyes involuntarily widened in shock. "I… dunno if I'm up to speed on that topic, pal."

A giggle came from Clank. "No, I suspect you are not too interested in that particular subject." The robot took the folded shirt and set it neatly in the clean laundry basket next to him. As he looked back to Ratchet, he asked, "What would you like to discuss?"

The Lombax dropped several pairs of underwear into the washer, and another sigh echoed out of his mouth. "I wish we could be outside doing something, but the rain's keeping us penned inside."

"And we have multiple chores to complete that we did not do earlier."

"That too," Ratchet replied as he reached for the laundry detergent.

Ratchet measured out a healthy amount of detergent before drizzling it over his underwear and socks. "Man, I really wish this would just go _faster_," he grumbled as he shut the washer door. He jabbed the large button on the washer as his head thunked against the top of it.

The robot hummed. His hands grabbed another shirt for the folding table. "It will go faster than you think, Ratchet," he said somewhat absentmindedly. "I guarantee that you will be in the garage tinkering before you know it."

Suddenly Clank froze as the robot realized his mistake.

Ratchet's head shot up, ears high and alert. "You're totally right, Clank."

"Ratchet, no."

"It'll just take a minute." The Lombax's legs were already moving. "I've got a spare warp drive in the garage and if I dig around for some parts, I'll have the washer working faster than me on a hoverboard!"

As Ratchet's tail disappeared around the corner and the sound of the door shutting reached Clank's audio receptors, the little robot shook his head and smiled. He grabbed another shirt as he thought over all the closest laundromats in the area. "Oh Ratchet…"

It was a tad bit annoying when Ratchet wanted to tinker with something that worked perfectly fine, but then again, Clank loved seeing excitement on the face of his friend more than anything.

It was worth it.

* * *

_I wrote this one and the previous drabble one right after the other, so yes, they do run along similar lines. I can't remember what the next one is planned to be (I might switch the order around if one gets done before another; I'm not too picky on the order of when these come out), but it will be different from this one. _

_And one idea for an AU came so I'm going to find a way to get out an AU of one of these drabbles as to not pile them all in at the end. _

_Hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you all in the next drabble (it's either one with video games or one with pirates ubibijb whichever motivates me more)! _

_XD_


	5. V

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Some angst really hit me today, and to help myself feel better, I wrote this out to get my feelings out. **

Raindrops

V

The tears rolled down his cheeks, and the Lombax struggled to breathe as gloom swept through him.

His chest ached. Sometimes it stung, but for the most part, the dull emotional ache Nanotech couldn't heal weighed down his heart. His arms wrapped tightly around his body, and as the notes of the song on their music player trickled on, a new wave of tears rushed out.

Clank held onto him, his arms wrapped around his friend. His hand rubbed against Ratchet's fur.

A sob coughed out of Ratchet's mouth as the song played through their bedroom. "I-I-I'm sorry, Cl-Clank. I didn't thi-think I'd be thi-this emotional."

As the next few lines of the song reached their ears, Ratchet curled inward, hunching over the edge of the bed and shaking as he struggled to hold in his emotions.

The little robot followed his friend's movement, only breaking his hold on his friend to change the position he was in. As he stood and laid across Ratchet's left shoulder, he wrapped his arms around his friend's chest. "Ratchet… there is nothing to be ashamed of."

A laugh came out of the Lombax as a harsh cough followed. "Usually I'm not this… affected, you know? I don't know what it is about this song that's causing this-" He bit his lip as his body shuddered. "-but I-I-I… I'm sorry." He sniffed as the song reached the last section before the chorus.

Clank was silent for a moment. Then the robot squeezed his friend tighter. "Ratchet. Please, there is nothing wrong with becoming emotional over a song. Music is known to provoke emotional responses, and I cannot hold blame to you for feeling so taken."

The little robot rubbed his head against Ratchet's back. "Let it out, Ratchet. I will not judge you."

And as the final chorus began, the final crescendo, the Lombax let down his walls.

Loud sobs mixed with the singer's beautiful voice, creating a new cadence the words couldn't match. Tears dropped from Ratchet's chin as broken images filled his mind. He shook with the beat, his body trembling to the rhythm of his misery. His cries echoed throughout the room, but never loud enough to stop the singer's words from reaching his ears.

He was in the middle of a storm, and while he felt so much pain, he didn't know if he wanted it to stop.

As the song faded away, Ratchet focused on his breathing. Clank smoothed more fur as he felt the shaking die down. "Ratchet, I need to step away for a moment to turn off the music player. Will you be alright while I am away?"

"…Clank? …I know this is going to sound weird… but can you… could you play it again?"

The robot tilted his head, confusion on his face.

"I… I want to get it all out." Ratchet turned to Clank, his red-rimmed eyes pleading to the robot's green ones. "I want to get out all this sadness, and I don't want to hold it back. It hurts to hold it back… I want to let it all go."

Clank nodded. Simple and without question. "I will do what you believe is best, Ratchet."

"Will you… will you sit with me while I… I…"

The little metal arms wrapped around his chest again, and as the robot held his friend together, he gently said, "Of course, Ratchet. I am here for you."

When the song repeated the next time, the robot hugged Ratchet from the front, his arms around his friend's neck as tears ran down his metal back.

He was there even after the tears were long gone.

* * *

_I know I'm publishing something again in a shorter period of time than usual. I'm sorry to do that, though I felt I had to get this piece out. I came across an angsty (for me) fic where I had a sad-ish song in the background... had the fic been longer -gone a bit deeper in certain areas- I would have cried in the middle of my college's library. It's near evening and I read it right after lunch... I've been feeling a dull ache in my chest ever since I finished it, though this drabble alleviates some of that. I would have drawn some vent art, though I don't have any art supplies with me at the moment. I just have a computer and a keyboard. I'm sorry if this is in any way out of character._

_It's some vent writing for me, like the second drabble, though I have no doubt that we've all had something that blindsided us with emotion. If all goes well, I'll get that pirates drabble written and published as soon as I can. Thank you all for reading._


	6. VI

_(Two drabbles in this one today because I had two ways to write the same thing and I was advised by friends to not delete either. I didn't want to post them in separate chapters since they are based around the same subject so... two for one today.)_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank of any of its characters. And yes, I am aware of today's date.**

Raindrops

VI

_**Drabble 1**_

The rain pattered against the red umbrella over their heads. Puddles formed around their feet, water pooling in all the little divots and cracks of the sidewalk.

"Come on Clank! I got ya!"

A large gloved hand grabbed onto one of Clank's arms as the robot's feet slipped out from under him. The hand held firm onto his metal arm, and the robot gave a little "Whoa!" as he was lifted over the enormous puddle and onto less flooded ground.

"You okay, pal?"

A clap of thunder echoed over their heads, and Clank strayed closer to Ratchet as he looked up at his friend. The rain fell harder, now a loud drone filling the air. The sidewalk in front of them disappeared, and walls of rain closed off their fields of vision.

"I am alright!" Clank shouted over the increasing patter of the rain. "I do hope we can locate Aphelion before this storm worsens!"

Ratchet kept the umbrella over both their heads, crouching over a bit more than usual to make sure that Clank was kept as dry as possible in the weather. "I think she should be just after this next block!" he yelled back.

They picked up their pace, and as their feet splashes through deep puddles, a soft flash of lightning lit up the sky. A clap of thunder followed a few beats after, urging the heroes to keep their pace.

Ratchet's breathing grew ragged as he lifted Clank away from another puddle. The backpack with their late-night groceries, heavier than usual, bounced against his back. The Lombax wiped away rain water from his forehead as he squinted in front of them.

A streetlamp lit up a small area in front of them. The two rushed as quickly as they could to the light, Ratchet's shoes soaked through and Clank's feet slick with mud and water.

As they entered the tiny area the light covered, Ratchet slowed down to catch his breath. Clank stayed close to his friend, careful not to step into any running stream that could sweep him away.

After a few moments, the Lombax straightened. He wiped the rainwater running into his eyes away and sighed as he looked over at Clank.

The robot felt a tap on his shoulder. Clank looked up, the little robot smiling as he looked up at Ratchet. The rain pattered around them, keeping the duo covered in a blanket of rain.

The robot nodded in front of them and pointed. His giggle reached Ratchet's ears as the Lombax followed Clank's pointer finger.

The bright blues of Aphelion glowed through the rainy curtain. Ratchet's eyes picked up the outline of the ship, and a short laugh of relief came form the Lombax as his muscles relaxed.

Another flash of lightning sparked over their heads. Clank's hand quickly slipped into Ratchet's as another thunderclap bellowed out over their heads.

Ratchet gave Clank's hand a comforting squeeze, and as the robot looked up at Ratchet, the Lombax smiled down. Clank saw Ratchet's lips move, and even though the Lombax spoke at normal volume, the robot read what the Lombax said.

"_I got you, pal. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you." _

A soft grin appeared on Clank's face before it was replaced with a look of determination. Ratchet winked at his friend before turning towards Aphelion's outline.

As the weather grew wilder, the two plunged into the maelstrom. Their hands stayed locked together, making sure they wouldn't lose each other to the monstrous storm around them.

* * *

_**Drabble 2**_

A mimicked sigh echoed out of Clank's mouth as he studied the growing puddle in front of him.

Normally the robot would have been scared of the rain. Too much water that could flood his circuits, too much thunder that scared the gigawatts out of him, and too much lightning that… well, his metal was something that kept him from staying outside for too long.

This rain was a little softer. No lightning had come yet, and there was barely any thunder. Raindrops, tiny little drops compared to some of the ones he had seen in previous storms, drizzled down from above and painted the street with perfect little puddles.

His eyelids blinked open-and-shut as Clank tried to keep the water out of his optics. His fingers tapped against his legs, and thoughts rolled through his mind as he watched the rain disturb the puddle.

The rain hitting his metal suddenly stopped.

"Hey pal… you okay?"

Clank turned to his right and looked up with a small smile. "I am alright, Ratchet. I just do not wish to be around creatures at the moment."

The Lombax adjusted his grip on the red umbrella as a concerned expression appeared on his face. "Is everything okay? You usually don't leave parties so suddenly."

Clank nodded. "The sounds and activity of the party were getting too much for my processors to handle, so I decided to step outside for a moment of serenity and contemplation."

"Oh, that's it then?" Relief flooded the Lombax's face. "I'm glad to hear you aren't sad or anything. If anyone was bugging you, I would have said something. But if you just needed a moment to yourself…"

The little robot nodded again. He turned back around to face the street, the rain a steady cadence that relaxed Clank with every passing second.

"I enjoy this type of rain. It is not dangerous, nor too much for my processors to handle. I do not need to worry about my inner circuits risking damage, and there is no lightning to threaten my safety. It does not cause me worry, and there is not much to fear in this type of storm."

Clank mimicked a sigh. "I like this. This weather calms me."

He heard a shuffle next to him. "Do you want me to leave you alone?" Ratchet asked.

Clank thought it over for a moment before shaking his head. "No, you may stay if you wish. I would not mind your company, and you would not bother me in any way if you are here."

Ratchet crouched down, then sat next to Clank. He held the umbrella between them, their eyes turning on to the rainy street in front of them.

For a moment in time, with the rain as the only sound in the space, everything went calm.

* * *

_Two years ago today, "Under My Umbrella" was published. It's one of the stories that a lot of my readers seem to like, and I've been so glad for all the support on it over the years. Fanart from windydreams of Tumblr, 4 reviews, and 15 Favorites (as of May 5th, 2019). Y'all... thank you so freaking much. _

_The reason why there are two drabbles- the first drabble was inspired by the plot of UMU; the second drabble was inspired by the original image I had in my mind when I wrote UMU. It was Ratchet standing over Clank holding a red umbrella to keep the robot safe from rain, and that image hasn't left my mind since then. _

_Thank you all for reading, and I promise to get to the pirates drabble next time! I've got finals to attend to, so I'll do what I can to get it out as soon as possible. See you all in the next chapter! _

_XD_


	7. VII

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And yes, I promise longer stuff is coming. I have some drabbles stockpiled for the next few weeks and some stuff to take care of for some other peeps, but longer stuff will be coming once I finally finish a Miraculous fic for once and pay back some stuff I owe. **

Raindrops

VII

The Veldin rain, a demon from above now unleashed onto the ground, thrashed against the planet's surface.

The howl of the wind was a constant whine of noise. Lightning swallowed the darkness in bright flashes, blinding those who hadn't had the sense to cover their windows. Thunder blasted out from the sky, and freezing raindrops flooded the air and ground.

In one of the few Veldin orphanages, a Lombax hid under his bed, shaking as the weather continued its assault on the planet. One of the two blankets he'd had on his bed was wrapped around his shoulders, and he hugged the little robot plush toy close to his chest.

"Please," the little kit cried, his tears mixing into the soft blue fabric. "Please come stay with me…"

Another flash, then thunder exploded. The Lombax jumped with a horrified scream, and his hands clawed the blanket close to his face as he sought protection from the nightmare outside.

Suddenly, the world softened.

The sound of the rain lessened, and a comforting warmth tickled his fur. His breathing slowed as he felt his guardian angel's aura sweep over him.

"Ratchet, there is nothing to be frightened of. I am here."

Robotic arms, similar to the arms on the Lombax's plush toy, wrapped around Ratchet's body. Metal tapped against the kit's forehead, and a little shudder came from the child as he leaned into the robot.

They stayed together for a moment, the fading sound of rain calming the little Lombax. The little robot's hands rubbed and patted Ratchet's back, soothing motions that slowly stemmed the child's tears.

Ratchet breathed, sucking in air as his heart slowed. "Than-thank you, Clank." His fluffy arms dropped the blanket and grasped Clank's body.

"It is never an issue, Ratchet. I am sworn to protect you in your darkest times, no matter the situation." The Lombax heard Clank giggle, a laugh that brought a small smile to his face. "Be it Horny Toads or the elements from above."

It was well over another minute before Ratchet pulled out of the hug.

The Lombax sat back, already lifting the blanket back over him. His eyes met the green optics of his guardian angel.

"Clank… can you stay with me longer? I know you gotta go do chores at your house with your dad, but…"

Clank paused, then took a moment to weigh his options. After a beat of silence, the robot smiled and sat down in front of Ratchet.

"I do not think it will hurt to spend more time with you, Ratchet."

* * *

_Heckies, it's been a while since I published. The reason was that I couldn't access the internet on my computer for the past week. My laptop just wouldn't connect with my house's wifi for no reason, but now that a Windows Update has seemingly fixed it, I can now publish things again without having to retype everything on my phone. _

_Hope you guys enjoyed this Guardian Angel AU! I was reading through a prompt list at one point and found "Guardian Angel AU" as one of the prompts. I figured I'd write something where a robot Clank, more in-tune with his Zoni powers, visits a little Ratchet on Veldin and becomes his guardian angel as the Lombax goes on adventures. (The pirates one will come at some point. I'm not too concerned about it, and I want to write what I'm in the mood for)_

_Other than that, a huge thank you to those that leave comments on my stories, and I hope you guys know how awesome y'all are! :D See you all in the next chapter! _

_XD_


	8. VIII

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. I usually write these drabbles whenever I want to feel better, but this one, for today, is for another person who could really use something to help. **

Raindrops

VIII

Ratchet held the umbrella high over their heads as the sky began to mourn alongside the retired heroes.

Soft raindrops pattered the cloth as the Lombax and the robot looked down at the grave at their knees. The smell of rain and fresh dirt together created a pleasant scent for the late afternoon.

The Lombax, more grey than yellow, rested his free hand against the dark soil. His lips moved, but he couldn't force out a sound.

Clank rested on his knees next to him, a hand rubbing at one of the edges of his optics. After a moment, the little robot took a tiny little stone and placed it on top of the little tombstone. He settled back down, his metal joints softly bumping the ground.

It took a few minutes before either of them were able to speak a word.

"Clank… was… was it a mistake to get… to get her? To have gotten a pet in the first place?" His red-rimmed eyes began to water again. "She didn't live long at all. It was so short… Should we have-"

Clank's hand slipped into his own.

The tears began again, and coughing and sniffling followed as the Lombax choked on his words. "She's just a pet, Clank," he cried as his free hand drifted to his face. "She wasn't supposed to live with us forever… but…"

"Ratchet, it was not a mistake." The metal hand squeezed his gloved one. "She had a short life, but it was one filled with love and joy."

Ratchet coughed, sobs cut off as breaths of air tried to fill his lungs. "I shouldn't be this affected, you know? I knew this was going to happen, Clank. You have to understand it when you get a pet. …But-"

The sixty-year-old Lombax cupped a hand over his mouth as his eyes closed. More tears ran down his cheeks as the rain picked up.

Clank took a moment to look at Ratchet before looking back at her grave. "Ratchet… there is no shame in feeling this way…" He fell silent for a moment. "Logic cannot do much when emotions come into play, and even with preparation, loss is still a difficult topic to handle."

Silence, yet again, filled the space they sat in.

The rain grew and shrank, dipping in volume as time dragged on.

"Clank, what were some of the things you loved about her?"

A tiny smile appeared on the robot's mouth. "I remember the time you showed Talwyn the adorable little tongue stick-out that she used to do when she ate a grape."

A throaty laugh came from Ratchet. "Oh yeah… I remember that. What about the fact that I made a little noise for her, and she'd answer back? We'd have like, full conversations together." His laugh grew louder. "A few little squeaks and chirps and she'd answer back… She was such a joy to be around."

It went back and forth between the two. They remembered and laughed at the time she had fallen asleep on Ratchet's shoulder only to whine when taken away. They grinned at the time Talwyn had squealed at how cute their pet was, and how she almost completely ignored Ratchet to play with their adorable pet.

The rain soon stopped.

As the conversation began to fade, the Lombax slowly rose to his feet and helped Clank to his own.

They stared at the grave one last time, the last three to four years of memories flashing through their minds.

She wasn't entirely gone.

Ratchet gently put a tiny stone on top of the tombstone before slipping his free hand back into Clank's. "Rest in peace, Mavis. I hope you're in a much better place, and I hope I'll be able to see you again soon."

Some of the rain clouds parted, and evening twilight shined down on the little grave as the duo stepped away.

She wasn't entirely gone. Not while they held the memory of her.

* * *

_Song that goes with this drabble: "Rainbow" by Sia._

_This drabble breaks some of the rules, though for this person, for a situation like this, for the fact that I technically have all the control in how this fic is made, I am more than happy to break a few rules for. _

_Mavis, a guinea pig that **The White Guardian** had, passed away today (the thirteenth of June 2019). I had the opportunity of meeting Mavis back in the summer of 2017, when Guardian and I got to know each other more. During some of our video chats, I got to see Mavis interacting with my friend. A lot of the things that Ratchet and Clank mention were some of the things that I saw through our calls. One of the first pictures I even got of her was her little pink tongue poking out and contrasting against silky black fur. _

_To get the news that she had passed away today was just... she wasn't my pet, but I felt the weight of her death. _

_That is why this drabble exists. To pay tribute to a sweet little pet that passed away far too early, and to give one of my friends something to remember her by. If you have some time and know him as a friend, send him some love and hugs. _

_Other than that sweet Mavis, I hope you're in a good place, and I hope you get to eat all the grapes you've ever wanted to eat. _

_Thank you guys for reading. _


	9. IX

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. I know I shouldn't be including so many pop culture references in this, but some of these things make me happy so I want to have the boys do it so they can be happy. And this game in particular makes me happy...**

Raindrops

IX

"Where do you wanna build the house?"

"…Would you be willing to build it in the desert? The desert adjacent to the lake, diagonal the village, and just in front of the small forest, that is."

"Yeah," Ratchet breathed out, his laugh catching in his throat. "That one'll do it, my little GPS."

The little square avatars, both with skins of the heroes, darted toward the designated desert on the map. The visors over the eyes of the duo lit up, and the little controllers clicked as they sprinted to the desert.

"You got the wooden planks?"

"Indeed. I gathered some birch wood for the floors, and oak wood for the walls and stairs of the settlement."

Ratchet grinned as they approached the biome, the visor allowing him to have a full screen to study rather than a split screen he had to squint at. Clank's avatar dodged in front of his, the little wooden block already in his avatar's hand. "I'll drop some stuff in a chest and start gathering some more materials and food," the Lombax said, already going through the motions.

Clank giggled as he placed the first few blocks on the virtual ground. The robot adjusted his visor. "Do try to avoid monsters. The Stalkers are especially active after a night where they are able to spawn into a world."

Playful sarcasm painted the Lombax's words. "_I'm not gunna get killed by a Stalker_. Gosh Clank, have some trust in me, won't ya pal?"

A smile grew on Clank's mouth.

Ratchet moved his avatar toward the first group of animals, furiously mashing the attack button as he gathered the meat and wool from their bodies. "Alright, I got enough for one bed. There're a few pieces of meat, but it won't be enough for both of us." He clicked the joystick, pushing his avatar into another sprint. "I'll be in the forest if you need me."

Clank hummed, the grin still on his mouthpiece. "I shall let you know if I am in need of assistance," he said as he finished the L-formation of their house.

"You know I can feel that evil grin on your face, right pal? …Oh hey, there's a cave! Found the place where we're gunna get titanium and Raritanium!"

Ratchet's character dove into the cave. "I know I don't have torches yet, but there might be some exposed titanium around the entrance…" His visor turned, and Ratchet's eyebrows furrowed. "I think I hear something…? Clank, do you hear anything, or is just me?"

The green Stalker morphed out of the shadows. It headed straight for Ratchet, it's neck twitching as the dynamite in its belly lit up.

"AAAHHHHH NONONONONONONO-"

Dead silence filled the living room as the prompt "Wrenchmaster got blown up by a Stalker" popped up on Clank's screen.

"Eheeheehee…"

"Oh, hush." The grin plastered itself to the Lombax's face as he laughed. "Of course that happened."

"I shall get your undamaged items. They will be in a chest for when you return."

Ratchet shook his head as he pushed his avatar into a sprint for the desert. "Thanks pal, I owe you one…"

* * *

_Minecraft be fun, and it's surprisingly therapeutic. I love working in Survival mode, but building and hording supplies for my home. I always make mansions of some kind, mostly cause it allows me to constantly build and horde supplies. It's just me and some block, and simple tasks with some nice music playing in the background. I'm showing my age oh lord..._

_Nonetheless, I liked the idea of these two playing a relaxing video game together. A ton of other peeps have done it, so I did my turn. Hopefully you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter! :D _

_XD_


	10. X

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. No, this story never died. I just had a different interest for a while, and I'll still be writing Ratchet and Clank in-between my Miraculous writing. ...I missed these bois...**

Raindrops

X

"Hey Clank, could you toss me the blue colored pencil?"

The little robot lifted his head from his coloring book, the forest green pencil trapped tightly between his fingers. His legs shifted on the chair near the dining table. He looked to the box, then to his drawing. "Do you happen to hold a preference for which shade of blue you would be interested in?"

Soft pitter-patters filled the apartment as the rain outside dipped in its torrent while yellow ears bobbed in Clank's peripheral vision.

"Um…" Silence followed as the Lombax stared at what he was working on, his finger softly rubbing under his chin. His eyes narrowed, and he ran his thumb over the paper. "I think a lighter blue? Something like Pokitaru waters?"

Clank's optics whirred as he calculated. He tapped his green pencil against his mouthpiece, little clinks echoing with the sounds of the soft rain. As he looked over the half-colored bird, something his databases identified as a peacock, he hummed. "I believe… Yes… If I use a darker shade of blue, I am still adhering to the finer points of color theory while staying true to the creature."

The little robot brightened, then wiggled his fingers as he looked for the lighter blue. One quick grab, and Clank gently tossed the pencil to his right.

"Thanks, pal. Hey, do you think you could also toss me the red?"

"Which shade would you prefer?"

A harsh hiss of air came from the space where Ratchet was sitting, right in the divide between the kitchen and the living room. "Darker red. Something like a cherry. No, wait! Something like a pasta sauce."

"Eheeheehee," Clank giggled, the smile growing on his mouthpiece. "I shall hand you the tomato color you seek. I will not be needing it for this particular piece."

One more toss.

A few moments later, the Lombax piped up again. "Sharpener?"

Without pausing in his coloring, Clank reached over with his other hand and wrapped his fingers around the second sharpener. One more throw-

"Coloring book?" The sound of Ratchet's gloves clapping together sounded throughout the kitchen. "And thank you."

The coloring book flew through the air next.

"And…" Paper, torn from the book's spine, nearly drowned out the noise of the rain. "Could you toss me the microwave?"

Clank knew better than to argue, though he did make a mental note to purchase another microwave as he unhooked it from the wall.

As he stepped over to Ratchet, the small microwave between his arms, the robot chuckled at the massive origami figure of him that Ratchet had built over the past few hours. "Oh Ratchet…"

Ratchet winked as he eased the microwave out of the robot's hands. "What can I say? Coloring felt too limited, so I got to building instead. It helped that I had an awesome robot friend to serve as inspiration."

As he set the microwave on its side, he turned back to Clank and grinned. "Wanna help?"

Clank's grin mirrored Ratchet's as he sat down. "Eheeheehee, of course, Ratchet…"

* * *

_The ending is shakier than I want it to be, but I haven't written in this format in a long while, so I'll let it count as a warm-up. _

_So... something I will say is that I actually do have a lot of Ratchet and Clank stuff written and stockpiled for publishing... though I never want to edit them. I'll get around to doing it anyway, partly because I refuse to sit on 15,000 words worth of stuff and have it go nowhere. I'll fix the stories up as best I can (and write a second part for another story) as soon as I can and get them through. My main focus though is uhhhh something that is my highest priority and all my attention at the moment, so we'll see how fast I get the other stories out. _

_Hope you guys enjoyed this little oneshot, and I'll see you in the next chapter! :D _

_XD_


	11. XI

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Probably uploading too much in one week (especially since Winter Break may have a shaky upload schedule), but I feel like some things need to finally be put out and updated. Plus keeping things updated stops me from falling into that trap of abandoning projects.**

Raindrops

XI

Ratchet tore through the threshold, heaving in air as the tail of the storm soaked him to the bone and splashed into the house. The Lombax whipped around and slammed the door shut behind him, wincing as the roaring thunder crashed overhead and shook the house. He leaned back against the door, fingers fumbling for the locks as the wind pushed up behind him.

A relived sigh blew through his lips once the three locks clicked into place. The pressure against the door eased, and it took a moment to recover from the full sprint he had just taken. He blinked back rainwater as he slipped off his wet gloves, tossing them to the side as he gazed down at the clear puddle of water forming at his feet.

Fingers rubbed at closed eyes as he shook his head. It was going to be a hassle to clean up, but it had to be done.

He kicked off his shoes and shrugged off his shirt. "Hey, Clank? I'm home! You doing alright?"

Yellow ears twitched as the Lombax picked up Clank's murmuring in their room. At least Clank sounded similar to how he had left him, and not worse…

"Oh crap, that's right!" His hands dove for his front pockets. "Please don't be broken, please don't be broken, please don't be broken…"

The USB touched his fingers and Ratchet palmed it as he chanced a look.

It looked fine, if not freezing cold from the outside weather. His thumbs ran over the drive, checking for signs of water damage. When his thumbs found nothing, Ratchet cracked a small smile and relaxed.

With a slow stretch of his arms, Ratchet padded towards their shared bedroom. "Has everything been okay since I left?" he called out.

He slipped into their bedroom and he looked down to see the small robot stumbling around the room, little tidbits and facts spilling out of his mouthpiece. "The Floridian Swamp Beast's formal specie name is- the square root of pi times forty-two- and is equal to- the average income of a college student-"

Ratchet sighed as he looked down at Clank. The robot made to grab the large dresser's handles as the Lombax picked him up. The Lombax carried his friend to the little bed, Clank's ramblings still going strong.

"Well, on the bright side, you haven't gotten any sicker since I left." Ratchet lowered his friend onto the bed and tucked his friend under the covers before gently patting the round head. "Don't worry, pal, you'll be as right as rain in no time."

He nudged Clank's port open, then plugged the USB into the little port hidden inside Clank's chest. As Clank's systems went into sleep mode to allow the anti-virus program to run, Ratchet shut Clank's chest compartment and laid his friend down.

He slipped towards the door, bare feet making little noise. Before he headed out the door for the laundry room, he turned and looked back at Clank.

"Don't worry, Clank, we'll get you through it," Ratchet said, his hand clutching the doorframe. "Al told me it's the finest anti-virus program around, and it should clean up the funk the virus put you in."

Clank stayed silent, optics dark to the outside world. Ratchet stepped out into the hall and headed for the laundry room for towels. "I'll help you get better," he murmured, flicking on the little light and reaching for the lime green towels on the top shelf. "After all, that's what a friend is for."

* * *

_A happy Thanksgiving (and Friendsgiving) for my fellow American followers OwO! Hope you all have some fun with family and friends, and I wish you lots of love going into December! _

_Updates relating to this story: I wrote Clank taking care of Ratchet while he was sick, so I figured I would write the opposite since Ratchet would do the same for Clank any day. Also I looked back through this and I think there's only one or two AUs in here... If I make another collection, it's set to be all AUs and Crossovers, but at the same time I think I'll put some AUs in because I want to have some more fun in different sandboxes. _

_And lastly, a reviewer named "**Eris**" asked for scuba-diving with the bois! I don't think I may put it with this collection, since I don't think its safe to swim while it's raining out (and this collection takes place over rainy days), but I have been working on it and I have made it a separate story. I'm sorry I've been taking so long on it Eris, and I will try to get it out as soon as I can. _

_Other than that, that's it on my end. Hope everyone enjoyed, and I'll see you all in the next chapter! :D _

_XD_


	12. XII

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Made these while listening to "Old Town Road" too many times for it to be considered healthy.**

Raindrops

XII

_**Drabble 1**_

The outlaw sat there, absentmindedly adjusting his brown cowboy hat. It didn't sit right between the two triangular ears, but it didn't stop him from having it. The light patter of rainwater echoed over the small space, easing the bar with a steady rhythm.

"What can I get for you, kind sir?"

The yellow-furred creature laughed. "You don't have to be so polite to me, pal."

The small robot smiled as he mimicked rolling his eyes. "I am programed to be the perfect bartender slash server. I must maintain the highest levels of professionalism. Now-" the robot put down the mug he had been wiping "-what can I get for you, Ratchet?"

The Lombax chuckled. "The usual, Clank. Whiskey on the rocks and a couple of biscuits if you have any."

Clank's hands moved, and as he reached under the counter to grab the whiskey bottle, his other hand scooped up a few ice cubes with the little ice shovel. A few clicks, a second of liquid hitting the glass…

The liquor glass slid a few inches towards Ratchet. The Lombax's fingers circled it, and Ratchet breathed in a sigh before he sipped at the drink.

"Does it ever get boring in here, pal?" he asked as he set the drink down.

Clank tilted his head in slight confusion as he set some hard biscuits in front of his friend. "I am content here."

Sincerity crossed the Lombax's face, and a concerned frown appeared on his mouth. "Well, you got a job and a roof over your head, but do you ever want a little excitement?" Ratchet nodded towards the saloon's regulars. "No offense to them, but they don't seem like the lively types."

Clank looked towards the regulars, a mimicked sigh coming from him as he studied the quiet group of older Cazars. "…Indeed. They are wonderful creatures, though they often keep to themselves." He picked up the mug and the towel and went back to wiping the mug clean. "I do not talk much with anyone other than stray visitors like yourself."

Silence settled between them as the Lombax ate his food. Ratchet nibbled on his biscuits and sipped at his whiskey, and Clank hummed as he wiped another glass clean.

Ratchet shook his head, then downed the rest of his whiskey. "Alright," he said as the regulars got up and left the saloon, "now that they're off, let's head out."

Clank looked to the Lombax, confused. "I beg your pardon?"

Ratchet shook his head again. "It isn't right for you to be cooped up in here all day, especially when you don't get to talk to people that much." He waved his arm, gesturing Clank to follow. "Come on, lemme take you out for a little bit. Change the pace and give you a little excitement."

The robot held up a finger. "I am against committing criminal activity, and I will not go if there is something illegal planned."

"Oh, no," Ratchet said as he held up his hands. "I wasn't planning on that. You've been good enough to me by letting me into this bar anyway. I was actually planning on taking you out on a ride. I dunno if you've got a horse, but there's an old road outside of town that's good for long walks. If you want to spend some time and have fun, then it's what I can do."

Clank paused for a moment. He glanced at the clock on the wall, then nodded toward his friend, a small smile on his face. "I can spare an hour. There are not many customers that come in around this time, so I may have some time to spend with a friend."

Ratchet smiled. "That works with me. Come on pal, let's go for a ride."

* * *

_**Drabble 2**_

The rain pattered down on the Veldin desert, blanketing the landscape and wetting the cracked sands on Veldin's surface. Water dribbled through the numerous fissures on the plateau, falling to the deeper levels of the planet and failing to heal the sun-scarred sands. Light thunder, with almost no lightning, rumbled overhead, a clap that vibrated through the air but didn't shake the earth as some of the thunders in Veldin's other storms tended to do…

The Lombax shifted on Aphelion, adjusting the pack and sleeping bag behind him. Pots and pans clanked together, noise echoing out onto the flat land and into the cloudy atmosphere. Rations, tucked away safely from the storm, crinkled under the tarp the Lombax had laid over the satchel. Underneath him, the robotic horse nickered and whinnied in complaint, but she made do with the Lombax's shifting.

Her hooves clopped against the ground as they walked the vast desert. The Lombax gazed out at the vast nothingness in front of him from under his black cowboy hat, the rims protecting his eyes from getting wet. His gloves thumbed the reins, uncomfortable now that they weren't tinkering on an invention.

He had been searching for days.

The long journey was coming close to its end, though it hadn't been an easy one to take in the first place. Days had been spent asking people where Kyzil Plateau was and how he could get there, the directions he had gotten so vague and confusing he felt as if he had crossed the entirety of Veldin except the one place he actually wanted to go to. After almost a month of searching for the Plateau, his patience had worn almost completely away.

This path however… A lot of hard-earned bolts had been spent to wrangle information on this route from the stubborn smuggler that toured the planet every now and again. He could still feel the frustration that had brewed in his veins when he had pressed the bolts a little too hard into the open palm of the smirking creature.

What he had been promised, the town atop the Kyzil Plateau, appeared in his vision. The thin outline of the town sharpened as he drew close, and as the rain began to lessen to a faint mist, the Lombax spurred Aphelion into a breakneck gallop.

The two of them tore into the town before the end of the hour. Aphelion heaved and panted as she pounded her metal hooves against the puddled ground, splashing through the emptied streets. The Lombax guided her to the saloon at the end of the row of buildings, green eyes blinking back the whipping winds and stray raindrops.

He was off Aphelion before she even stopped.

It was a quick and hurried rush to tie her reins to the stable and hook her up to a rest station. The Lombax took care of her as best he could before rushing around to the front of the saloon, the warm lights spilling out onto the street.

"Hey…" someone murmured inside. "Ain't that that Ratchet outlaw?"

As the doors swung open, the Lombax's eyes immediately locked on the robot bartender hanging little mug-shaped decorations and striped ornaments onto the pine tree at the other end of the bar.

Clank's expression changed. The miserable look that had been on it a second before washed away, and as his optics widened and a massive, surprised… elated smile grew on his mouthpiece.

Ratchet returned the smile, arms spreading open for a hug. "Merry Christmas, pal…"

* * *

_I originally made that first one in... gosh, it came around in May. I didn't like it at the time, so I shelved it and decided to redo it later. Fast forward to now, where I wrote out a second drabble in the Western AU setting that feels a lot better to me. Why did I include both? There aren't that many AU drabbles in this, and since I want to show myself how I write in two different styles. _

_First style, (all styles learned from my Fiction class): Minimalism. The main style I write in, and something that focuses in on certain moments in characters' lives. I prefer it any day over the other style, though I've learned there are some kinds of stories that work a lot better in the other style. Second style, Maximalism. It's like a summary of life events, or something to that nature, where the pacing of the story can speed up due to numerous periods of time being covered in mere sentences. Problems occur when the two are mixed together and aren't balanced properly... then it can read like "start-then-stop" traffic. _

_I think Maximalism worked a lot better for the drabble I was trying to write, and the second drabble is one I'm more proud of. I guess that's one piece of wisdom I can impart through this chapter... different styles cause different stories. _

_The only other big news thing I have relating to this story is that **this story now has a deadline as to when it will be finished**. I want to participate in Marinette March 2020, and that means that I will need to finish one-two of my multichaptered stories before I start writing anything related to the month. I'll need the month of February to prep for it and write out all the stories (thirty one of them I think oof), and then I'll be able to publish what I have in March. I refuse to start more projects without finishing one, so this story will be ending on February 1st, or at the very latest, the end of the first week of February. Nine-ish weeks, seven-ish chapters left to write. If I miss a weekly post, then one week may have multiple, but this project will be done by that day. Feel free to bully me if I am not at Chapter 18 or 19 by January 30th. _

_Super long author's note, but one that is needed. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and as always, an enormous thank you to those that write me consistent reviews. I cannot, and I mean this every time I say it, thank you enough for all the love y'all give my stuff. Thank you thank you thank you, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter! :D _

_XD_


	13. XIII

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank, Mario, the "Luigi's Mansion" series, or any of its characters. ...So that kinda gave away what this drabble's going to be about, but hey... um... *WARNING: some tiny spoilers for LM3. Nothing too big, only a ghost type you may come across in the first quarter of the game. And slight story spoilers if you didn't watch the trailers.***

Raindrops

XIII

It was a dark and stormy night.

Lightning flashed outside as the little robot jumped in fear, optics widening as sharp shadows crawled along the walls. Even though the hotel was finely decorated with non-threatening things, the dark hallway seemed to stretch on for miles, the perfect place for hordes of ghosts to ambush him.

Clank shifted the Poltergust G-00 on his back, unused to the weight on his back. Usually, he was the one on Ratchet's back, keeping watch and lifting the duo to new heights with his Hoverpacks. This time though, Ratchet was gone, trapped at the very top floor in the hotel by a mad king.

The little robot could still see the look of utter shock that had been on Ratchet's face when the Lombax had been captured into a painting. Rich yellows and greens had perfectly caught the wide eyes and open-mouthed expression, the hand already reaching for the Omniwrench that had been on his back colored in smooth browns and silvers.

Suddenly, a noise came from a decorative stand just ahead of him.

The drawers shuddered, the tiniest noise of laughter coming from them. As another lightning strike flashed and another clap of thunder rumbled through the space, the drawers knocked together, a loud crash and bang echoing out.

Clank shook himself, screwing up his form and steeling his nerves, before he tip-toed over to the drawers.

With a shaking hand, he reached out and flicked open the drawer.

A ghostly yellow face appeared mere millimeters from his own, and an ear-piercing roar came from a ghost that was easily double Clank's height. Fingers hovered close to the sides of Clank's head as wild white eyes widened just inches from Clank's optics.

Clank fell back, shock tearing through every circuit and wire in his body. His optics widened, a short yelp of terror coming from him as he fumbled for his flashlight.

The ghost, a shade of yellow very close to the shades on Ratchet's fur, leaned back as a billiard ball phased into its hand. Evil laughter cackled from its throat as it screwed its arm back, ready for the throw-

Clank hopped to his feet, pointed his flashlight at the ghost, and with a look of determination, let out a huge burst of light.

The ghost froze in place, blinded by the flash.

It was all Clank needed.

With a whooshing roar, the Poltergust kicked into gear, latching onto the ghost's tail. It screamed in horror, wind-milling its arms to try and escape the Poltergust's pull. Clank leaned back and the sounds of his trademark giggle lost in the sounds of the discord.

Then the Poltergust beeped.

Clank whirled the nozzle over his head, catching the ghost in an arc and slamming the being against the floor behind the robot. A circle of stars appeared around the ghost's head, but before it could register what happened, Clank whipped the nozzle back to the place the ghost had been in before, smacking the ghost against the floor once again.

With a pop, the ghost dissolved into particles. The Poltergust made quick work, sucking up anything that might bring it back.

A beat of silence settled over the space, and Clank took a moment to steady himself. He usually wasn't scared of supernatural things, something his systems were in constant debate over, but he usually was with Ratchet.

But Ratchet wasn't here. Captain Qwark wasn't here. Talwyn, Cronk, Zephyr…

The only things Clank had were the words of a crazy old scientist, a flashlight, and a backpack-vacuum.

Loneliness filled his chest compartment, and the little robot gazed longingly down the hall. If he had only woken up just a little earlier…

He shook his head. No, blaming himself for the past wasn't going to save Ratchet and their friends. If he wanted to get to his friends, then he needed to explore the rest of the floors and find the buttons he needed to get to the top of the hotel.

Clank gripped the Poltergust's handle, optics narrowing as a wave of determination swept through him. He could do this. He would find his friends and save them from being trapped in paintings forever.

And a large part of him knew that Ratchet would not hesitate to do the same if it had been the little robot who had been captured instead.

"Hold on, Ratchet," Clank said as another lightning strike flashed over the long, pitch-black hallway in front of him. He rushed forward, Poltergust bouncing against his back and flashlight rolling over every surface in front of him. "I am coming to get you."

* * *

_*finger guns* *laughs awkwardly* "Luigi's Mansion 3" is currently my free serotonin dispenser. :,D God I love King Boo and Hellen so much..._

_Some of you might have known this was coming since I've been on an LM3 kick. I've been a fan of that series since I was... three to four years old? I've always wanted to write something for the series, even when I was really young, so doing that now is really fun and a nice break from RaC and Miraculous stuff. Gives a nice mix to my new stuff, and new mixes and challenges are always what I'm looking to do. Plus the image of Clank wielding a Poltergust and flashlight was a really cute picture I wanted to put into words._

_(Also sidenote, I may still not know about Maximalism so... I might have been wrong on the last chapter *shrug*. Nonetheless, there are different writing styles that writers use for different things.) _

_Last thing... again, a huge thank you to those that leave reviews! You guys really brightened up my day, and I can't thank you enough from the bottom of my heart for the kind words! I hope everyone enjoyed, and I'll y'all in the next chapter! :D  
_

_XD_


	14. XIV

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Me, late November: "I have nine weeks to post eight short stories. I'll update weekly!" **

***insert John Mulaney's "And then I didn't." clip here* **

Raindrops

XIV

The sounds from the storm rumbled throughout the cave, the pattering of water a steady rhythm echoing through the cavern. Low thunder, thankfully not at a booming volume, rolled over the heavy grey clouds blocking out the sky. A curtain of rain poured onto the forest-filled land below, and even the lone castle in the distance was barely visible under the weather.

With a firm tug to his silver-blue tunic, the action shifting the harness that held his large wrench weapon and backpack, the cat-creature peered out from the dry cave at the weather. Green eyes narrowed as wet mist beaded around his face, his ears lowered to try and ease the sounds of the thunder-

A high-pitched whine came behind him.

Ratchet turned, concern shining in his face. His hand rested against the rock wall, the light from the small campfire drawing long shadows of the limbs across the wall. "I know, pal, and I wish I could make it stop, but I can't."

Scratching sounds came from just a little deeper into the cave as terrified green optics met Ratchet's gaze. Clank's body scrunched up, back rising in a hump as fear bathed every inch of Clank's form.

The Lombax tossed a worried glance over his shoulder. A sigh left him as he ran through the rest of their planned route, factoring in the lost hours the pouring rain was going to cost the duo. "Alright, the new plan is that we'll wait til it's done. Gunna cost us some time, but it's worth it if it means you won't be scared to walk outside."

Whines, high-pitched and full of fear, pitched off the rock walls as another loud clap of thunder roared over the land. Clank's optics shut, and scrapes followed the thunder as he pushed himself as hard as he could against the rock wall opposite the rain.

Ratchet softened, concern covering his face. "Hey… It's gunna be okay, Clank. I won't let the rain hurt you." He reached out a hand, fingers partly curled, and gently lowered himself to one knee. His ears lowered, and gloved fingers delicately rested against smooth titanium metal. "We can make it through this! I promise."

The hump Clank's back had taken smoothed down, and Clank tilted his head against Ratchet's arm as the noise of the rain grew louder.

"Here." Ratchet scooched around his little friend, laying back against the rock wall just beside Clank. "Why don't we take a nap? That way we won't have to listen to the rain, and once the rain stops, we'll be well rested and able to get back on our trip. Then we'll be at the castle in no time, and then Al will be able to take a look at you, and then we'll have a whole feast welcoming us back home…"

With every word, Clank eased from his anxious pose. Chirps came from him as he slowly climbed into Ratchet's lap, body shaking like a leaf in the wind, but his claws kneading into his friend's legs for support.

Ratchet ran a hand over his friend's head and back. "Don't worry, Clank. Everything's going to be okay, pal." His hand patted Clank's head, easing the robot further. "You go ahead and get to sleep first. I'll make sure nothing hurts you."

And with that, the little robot dragon circled the inside of his friend's lap, long tail close to his metal body, and flopped on his side. One last look up to his Lombax friend, and the dragon slowly closed his optics and settled down.

Within a few hours, both Lombax and robot were fast asleep, soft snores drowning out the fading sounds of the rain.

* * *

_I can't tell if I went for a generic fantasy AU or a twist on a "How to Train Your Dragon" AU, but yes, here is a traveling mercenary Ratchet with his small metal dragon friend named Clank. It takes place in a fantasy universe somewhere. _

_Don't know how well I'm vibing with this one, but on the bright side, "Raindrops" is another chapter closer to getting done. And I do mean it; I'm gunna get someone to bully me to get the other shorts done by January 30th/February 1st. I may have some Miraculous stuff to put out for February while I do the March challenge, but it's not looking like I'll finish it in time. *shrug* As long as this story gets done on time and **actually** gets fully completed, then I will be over the moon with joy. _

_Until the next chapter that I'm going to post soon to meet that lovely deadline looming over my head, thank you all for reading! Thank you too to the peeps that leave reviews on all my things, and I'll see you all in the next chapter! :)_

_XD_


	15. XV

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank, Miraculous, or any of its characters. **

**Me: "This is MIRACULOUS! :D"**

**Anyone who has talked to me for five seconds at any point over the past year: "Lily, this is the 57th week in a row you've shown Miraculous in class."**

Raindrops

XV

As soft rain pattered down over the skyscrapers and swept over the illuminated Meridian City, two figures swung over a couple of the smaller buildings. The whir of a plasma-coated yo-yo string mixed with the sound of the rain, and the occasional clunk of a baton against solid building rang out alongside the muted rumbles of thunder.

The long-eared creature, a cat-like build and five-fingered hands, front-flipped onto flat of an apartment complex. His boots slapped against the long stretch of roof, and as the yellow-furred creature fought to catch his breath, he retracted his baton and leaned it against the ground. "Beat ya, Bugabot! Finished patrol before you!"

A giggle came from his right, and a robot, barely coming up to two feet tall, flicked his yo-yo out playfully as he leaned back against a generator. "Eheeheehee, are you certain about that, Chat Noir?"

Black-armored ears drooped, and as Chat dropped his head, he groaned, "Lemme guess, just missed you flying in two seconds before I did."

Another little giggle came from the red and black-spotted robot, the spotted red visor hiding gleeful green optics. "Indeed."

Chat sighed dramatically, taking the weight off his baton and flipping it into his hand. Once the baton retracted to a short stick, an enormous, plasma-generated wrench head phased onto the top of the baton. Black Teraflux armor with green accents stretched tight as the cat creature held an arm across his chest. "Guess I lost this bet. Alright, pal, the point goes to you."

Ladybug hopped off the generator. The yo-yo magnetically clicked against the large bolt on the small robot's back as Ladybug dusted off his square-shaped hands. "Another successful patrol fully completed."

"Successful for you, maybe."

Ladybug caught the tease in the tone, and the robot playfully crossed his arms as Chat continued to stretch. "Oh? Are you still upset that I am currently ahead of you in our game?"

"Upset?" Chat smirked, already extending the baton across the line of his shoulders. "Nah. Emotionally wounded beyond repair? Yes."

"Oh, how unfortunate." The grin on the metal mouthpiece grew bigger. "I shall never be able to go on without you in tip-top emotional condition. Perhaps a quick trip to Al's Arcade would provide relief to your ailing heart?"

Their expressions mirrored the other's. "It's like you can read my mind, Bugabot."

Before they could continue, a loud explosion flashed closer to the taller skyscrapers. It drowned out the thunder, and as a piercing, high-pitched laugh carried over from the giant advertisement screens, Chat groaned.

"Annnd, there's Butterfly Man's villain-of-the-day. His desire to annihilate us always seems to flare up when we decide we want to have fun."

A hum came from Ladybug as he watched Nether Weather, a young Nether girl with flaming pink hair, declare her wishes from the hijacked advertisement screen. "Ah, so the rain that is currently here is a result of Papillon's akumatization." The little robot looked down, pacing and tapping a metal finger to his mouthpiece. "Hm… It is best we have a plan for going into the battle, as we do not know if Papillon has changed anything since our last battle with-"

"Welp, this'll shake off the boredom from patrol. Let's see if I can use her lightning against her!"

Ladybug threw out a hand as Chat tore towards the side of the roof. "Chat! We must remain cautious and make a plan before fighting Nether Weather!"

Chat paused at the edge, and his baton primed for a quick vault. "Come on, Bugabot!" he called over the growing storm around them. "Switch off your nerd circuits 'til we get to the Ice Queen, then we'll see about making a plan!"

"Yes, however-"

"First one to Nether Weather doesn't have to pay the arcade fees!"

And with that, the armored cat hurtled forward, baton vaulting him over buildings and carrying him to safety.

Ladybug shook his head, the smile growing on his face as he grabbed the yo-yo from his back. He took a running start, then whipped out the yo-yo into the rainy night, swinging after his crime-fighting partner.

Chat was always like that, rushing headfirst into danger. He was impulsive, reckless, and sometimes just wouldn't listen to reason, no matter how sound it was.

The robot smiled, the first tell-tale signs of hail attacks whistling behind him.

He couldn't have picked a better friend to fight against the evils of the universe with.

* * *

_I guess this has a fun fact in it: about a year ago, I became a Miraculous fan. So 57 weeks isn't too far off for how long I've been a fan of it. :,,) _

_I wish I could expand this more and build a proper story for it, but this is "getting 'Raindrops' done" time, so making separate stories won't really help. To be honest, not too proud of this one, but I'll take this chapter like I would for my prompt collections. You win some, you lose some, and not everything is going to be the greatest when you have a deadline looming over your shoulder. I'll revisit this before I do my Author's Corner at the end of the fic collection and see if my attitude's changed, but HHH, for now, chapter 15 is done and chapter 16 will need to be posted sometime over the next few days. _

_Hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you all in the next chapter! _

_XD_


	16. XVI

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. *rolls up in a car I don't have yet that's blasting "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga* *puts arm over the lowered window and lowers the volume* "It's crunch time, b**ch."**

Raindrops

XVI

Every so often, the little robot would peek over the top of his journal to giggle at his friend.

Ratchet laid across the couch, his whole body stretched from on end to the other. One leg hooked over the top of the middle cushion, and the Lombax's right arm dangled to the floor. His left hand lazily gripped the hardcover book resting against the fluffy yellow chest. The book leaned dangerously close to the Lombax's chest, just vertical enough for the blurry green eyes to shift across the page.

Clank did everything in his power to hold back a giggle. The Lombax was going to fall asleep, or…

The soft ambience of the calm rain outside their Meridian City apartment did Ratchet no favors. A steady rhythm, a calm atmosphere that could make anyone want to just snuggle under covers and sleep away the day…

Clank looked back to his reading, the scientific journal providing another argument to the great Bulletin Boards vs. Email Announcements Debate the academic community spent far too much money researching on. Optics skimmed over words, not really reading the letters, before glancing back over at the Lombax.

If he knew the book well enough, then Ratchet would get to it-

"No way." Ratchet jackknifed up from where he lay, suddenly wide awake. The blur in his eyes disappeared as he leaned as close as he could to the pages, eyebrows furrowed in concentration before they lifted in shock.

The little robot lowered his reading, the knowing and evil smile on his mouthpiece.

With a simple snap, Ratchet put the book down against the couch, righting himself. His feet touched the floor as he stared at the wood and blinked, expression running through almost every emotion.

"Eheeheeheehee."

Gloved fingers ran over furry eyelids. "You knew that the entire time, didn't you?" Ratchet looked to the little robot, a mixture of surprise and frustration on his face. "How could you not tell me?! How could you not tell me she was going to die?!"

"I was banned from announcing spoilers after you read the last book I had read beforehand." Clank tapped a finger against the journal. "I bet you wish that I had spoiled that part for you before you came across it so you would have time to emotionally process the scene…"

Ratchet fell completely silent. With a shake of his head, the Lombax smacked his hands against his legs. "No," he said, words full of the same surprise and frustration that was on his face. "No. Nope. No. How could she- No. _No_."

He stood, legs moving him to an open space where he could pace back-and-forth. Ears bounced as bare feet thumped against the floor, the Lombax in such deep thought Clank had to hold back the urge to laugh again.

After a good few minutes, Ratchet stopped pacing. "You know what," he started, raising an index finger at the little robot. Silence flooded the space as Ratchet's other hand lifted and he made a mock surrender gesture. "No. No."

Clank looked back down at his reading. Wait for it…

A thump sounded on the couch, and the loud sound of paper rustling echoed throughout the living room.

"Well… I gotta find out if she's actually dead or if they're gunna resurrect her later."

"Eheeheehee… oh Ratchet…"

* * *

_I don't usually do this anymore because FFnet doesn't have as good a reply system as Ao3 (which is why I very much reply to comments there, but not at all here), but a few things popped up so I wanted to address them. Max, the Miraculous/RaC crossover fic that's been in my "To-Write" list is set to come out sometime in February so that I have something to be published while I'm prepping for Mari March. Little more time to wait, but I need something for February and January's already stoked with updates I need to make. Eris, it was nice seeing you again, and I haven't forgotten about your request, I have been working mainly on trying to finish this project before January's done. It is something that's in the back of my mind, and I will try to work on it when I have the time and energy for it. _

_Again, thank you so much to the people that comment and read! I'm thankful you guys have been sticking around for so long, and I'm excited to finish this up soon! I have a couple more ideas, then we'll end it with what I promised to do many many chapters ago. *sighs* HHH, final stretch time... _

_Hope you all enjoyed, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter! ^^ _

_XD_


	17. XVII

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. *sips drink awkwardly* ...I usually don't try to update a Ratchet and Clank story twice in one day, though it was either two updates today or four updates next week. Since I have no idea how my schedule's going to be next week, we have twice in one day. **

**I wasn't kidding about it being crunch time, at least for me.**

Raindrops

XVII

"Watch and learn, Clank! Lemme show you how a real hero gets it done…"

Fingers flipped the white cowboy hat onto his head, resting against the top of the hat as the Lombax's body posed. Lightning flashed through the window, creating an almost like stage-lights-flicking-on effect.

Then the music started.

Ratchet ducked his hips backward, twirling his arm in a circular motion as he jutted his hips forward-and-back to the smooth dance music. Thunder rumbled as he twirled and kicked out his right leg, arm jerking in a wave-like motion back to his side. Ears whipped to the side as the Lombax twirled again, poking the air with his index fingers. He waved his hand across his chest, and as another flash of lightning lit up the space, Ratchet let out a few hoots of excitement.

The volume of the music swelled. Ratchet kicked up his leg to his thigh, making a quick L-shape before dropping it back to the floor. His left hand stayed pressed between his legs, right hand poking more of the air.

One more twirl, companied with another hoot, and bare fluffy feet cleanly moon-walked across a section of the living room floor. Arms laid comfortably at Ratchet's side as more thunder roared in the distance. A turn, another smooth moonwalk back the way Ratchet came from, then the Lombax stood in place. His hands flicked out, pointing up, directly to his sides, and then-

His left hand pressed between his legs as he pointed his right index finger stylishly at the little robot sitting on the couch directly to his right. His head stayed tilted down, cowboy hat still tilted against the flat of his head. "Yeah!" Ratchet exclaimed, the flash of lightning and the loud clap of thunder immediately following it ending off the dance.

Thunky claps came from Clank as Ratchet relaxed from his pose. "Eheeheehee, well, you certainly won this round, Ratchet…"

The Lombax clicked his tongue as he plucked the cowboy hat off his head and casually tossed it to Clank. Clank ducked his head, only to feel a little weight comfortably touch his head. His optics opened, and a smile touched his mouthpiece as he felt the rim of the hat touch his fingers. "Nice toss."

"Told ya, pal." Ratchet flopped down against the couch. "Annnnd… it's your turn." A sing-song tone entered his voice. "Time to show off your stuff…"

Clank's hand lifted, straightening invisible cuffs around his hands. "Ah, time for the master to show off his skill."

"Yeah, yeah." The smirk stretched across Ratchet's face grew as he waved his hand. "I'd like to see you try and top my last set of dance moves."

"Oh, Ratchet-" Clank hopped off the couch, wagging a finger at his best friend "-I do not have to try, I only have to do."

The Lombax burst out laughing as Clank sauntered to the makeshift dance floor. He leaned over the place where Clank previously sat, finger over the play button on the small radio. "Lemme know when you're ready, pal."

Clank struck a pose, left arm outstretched to the ceiling and right foot pointed straight out. "I am ready."

As lightning flashed, Ratchet flicked on the dance music.

An impromptu dance contest was probably the best thing the duo had found to chase off boredom on a rainy day.

* * *

_So yes... I put another reference in this. Since I'm still practicing when it comes to writing characters dancing, I'll give a hint. If you've happened to play any games... where a devil may cry... *eyes*_

_Another chapter down, and I think I have enough ideas to get me across the finish line just in time! All I need to do is write them all out, and get them up by Friday. I'm scared, but heck, I'm ready to finish something! Let's head ever onward! _

_Thank you for reading, and the next chapter should be up in the next few days! ...OrI'llendupprocrastinatinganduploadingchaptersinasingledaywhoknows. See y'all later! :) _

_XD_


	18. XVIII

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. **

**My friends: *opens door to my room* "Man, hope Lily's doing okay..." **

**Me: *huddled in the corner rocking* "The prompt list for Marinette March is coming out Saturday and I haven't finished Raindrops and I still need to finish writing/editing the stuff I need to post in February and I have classwork that needs to get done and IT NEEDS TO ALL GET DONE IN LIKE THREE DAYS AHHHHHH!"**

**My friends: *closes door silently* 0.0**

Raindrops

XVIII

Rain swept over Aphelion's cover as the ship flew through the city's space traffic.

Ratchet's hand lazily hung over the joystick, his other hand cradling the side of his head. Clank sat, content and calm, in the passenger's seat, and his optics drifting closed before blinking open. A slow jazzy tune, something they'd hear at a café or simple coffeehouse, played over the ship's radio.

The "roads" were relatively empty due to the gentle thunderstorm that had taken Meridian City in surprise. Few ships, mainly giant transport ships that needed to deliver goods no matter the weather and other creatures that found it calming to drive in the rain, blasted through the channels. They were a lot slower than the usual traffic would be; every creature content to metaphorically soak in the calming rain rather than tearing through it in a rush to nowhere important.

Clank mimicked a sigh as his arms settled against the armrests. "Thank you for suggesting this mid-afternoon drive, Ratchet. The past few days have been far too stressful with _Secret Agent Clank_'s new film about to premiere… I am grateful for a moment to relax."

"No problem, pal." The ship leaned more to the side as Ratchet tilted the joystick. Aphelion ducked under a highway channel, the sound of the rain dipping in-and-out as the starship flew under rows of transport ships. "You've been real anxious the past few days. Figured something like this would calm you down just a bit and get you a little more prepared for the premiere Thursday."

Raindrops pattered against Aphelion's cover once again, the atmosphere slipping back to one of pure serenity. Clank's optics processed less and less, the little robot slipping further and further into sleep mode…

"HEY, WATCH IT!"

Clank jerked awake, leaping to his feet as Aphelion whipped to the side. He caught Ratchet throwing up his hand, making a rude gesture to another ship. "Ratchet! What happened?!"

"Someone just about crashed into Aphelion's wing!" the Lombax shouted, eyes peering through the thin curtain of rain. "I wasn't going too slow for someone to get annoyed, and they should have seen me!"

A red stoplight flashed in front of Aphelion, and Ratchet slowed the ship to a hover. As he pulled close, another ship hovered next to them.

It was a hot rod, clearly something that had been bought with millions of bolts. Sleek racer red stripes ran up a bright orange coat, and modified thrusters drowned out the rumble of thunder. Young adult Cazars, clearly in their early twenties, howled with laughter in their ship, flashing rude gestures at the duo. Their ship roared again, and this time, the Cazars made it clear they wanted to race the duo with their hot rod.

Clank laid a hand on Ratchet's arm. "Please. Let us let it go. They are only foolish creatures trying to gain an ego boost."

The Lombax relaxed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. As his eyes opened, his fingers stretched off the joystick, thumbs still around the stick. "You're right. You're right." The air blew through his lips as he focused back on the space in front of him. "They're not worth it." He cracked a smile as Clank slowly took his hand off the Lombax's arm. "And on the bright side, if they keep clowning around, they'll be the ones in trouble with the cops, not us."

The little robot smiled as he settled back in his seat. "Thank you, Ratchet."

As the light turned green, the Cazars blasted off, leaving Aphelion behind in the dust. Ratchet ground his teeth, not wanting to back down from the challenge, but then turned his head to Clank.

Calm filled him, and as he eased Aphelion forward, back to the speed they had been at before, Ratchet relaxed the tension from his muscles.

Karma was going to get back at them for their recklessness, but for now, Ratchet was content with just spending a calm day with his friend.

* * *

_Alternate ending: The Cazars flash an exceptionally rude gesture at Clank, and Clank joins Ratchet in his want to school the young adults. Wanted to do it, but then figured that Ratchet would be a little more level-headed after so many journeys. Not to say that he can't school them, just that he doesn't want to. _

_I ache for some more partners-in-crime stories, partly since Clank has a mischievous side of his own that I like seeing, but HHHH I don't care anymore this short's done and gone. _

_Can I post these all by the end of the 31st? We'll see, and I'm doing everything in my power to make it happen. Here's to hoping... _

_Thank you all for reading and commenting! See you all in the next chapter! _

_XD_


	19. XIX

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. HHHHH! I'M SO CLOSE! I'M SO DANG CLOSE! URRRRRRGGGGGHHH!**

Raindrops

XIX

Moonlight trickled in through the curtains, illuminating the living room in soft, dark blue light. Misty rain covered the windows, dotting the glass and fogging up any space that didn't have small raindrops trailing down the windowpanes.

Ratchet laid vertically on the couch, still clad in his sleepwear. A simple pair of pajama bottoms, a white shirt that he had kept for far too many years…

His green eyes stared out the large windows, studying the stars in the early-morning sky. A heaviness filled his chest, weighing him down and making him loathe to move. Thoughts, both of the past and the possible future, ran through his head. They were slow, building up like a snowball, then fizzling out as the sadness in his chest brought them down.

Little footsteps echoed through the space. "Ratchet?" Clank whispered, slowly stepping around the edge of the couch. "Is everything all right?"

Ratchet blinked, coming out of his trance. "Oh, yeah. Everything's fine…" He ran a hand over his uncovered head, brushing back the fur. "Just couldn't sleep, that's all."

Clank looked at him, concerned. The little robot ducked back behind the couch, then came back a few moments later with a giant quilt over his head.

As he climbed onto the couch, Ratchet leaned over and fished the blanket onto his lap. Once Clank settled down, Ratchet moved the right side of the blanket over Clank.

They laid there for a while, just sitting back and watching the rain mix with the stars. Silence filled the space around them, a special kind of calm that came with the three-in-the-morning hour.

"Do you wish to talk about it, Ratchet?"

A couple quiet moments passed before the Lombax spoke up. "Yeah, I can talk about it." A slow blink, and the Lombax leaned back further into the cushions. "I got to thinking about some of our old friends and acquaintances before I went to sleep. We… we haven't really talked to them in a while…"

Clank turned to Ratchet, watching his friend tick off his fingers. "Sasha, Angela, Big Al… and those are just some from Solana." A small sigh came from Ratchet as his hands flopped back down. "I need to talk with them again… but all I can really think about is how much I hope they're okay. It's been so long, a long few years where so many things have changed…" The heaviness in his chest made it hard to breathe, and as he cleared his throat, Ratchet spoke. "I… I hope they're in good places."

The little robot patted his friend's hand. "I am sure they are, Ratchet. We have heard about some of them on the radio over the few years. Do you want to see about contacting them later this morning?"

"Yeah…" Ratchet whispered. "Yeah, we can do that…"

Silence settled between them once again.

"Is this the only thing bothering you, Ratchet?"

His tongue wet his lips, and Ratchet sighed as a star that looked like a raindrop fell from the sky. "No… I don't think it is."

"Do you wish to talk about it at this time?"

The Lombax cracked a smile. "Can I say something… it sounds really crazy."

Clank shook his head, patting his friend's hand again. "Go ahead, Ratchet."

"There's this… loneliness in me," Ratchet said. "It's been there since the whole thing with the Nethers… and a lot of the days I feel like I just want to stay in bed, but I keep pushing myself anyway. You're always around, and you always feel like enough… but there's been this weight in my chest that I can't seem to shake." Green eyes studied the windowpane. "I don't know how to explain it. It's a numbness and a sadness at the same time, and it keeps pushing me back to the past. I think of people and my past mistakes all the time, but then I don't feel like being proactive about it. I feel like curling up and just… letting the universe move on around me."

The Lombax gave a dry laugh as he looked down at his lap, fingers linking and thumbpads running over each other. "It sounds crazy, I know-"

A metal hand laid over Ratchet's right wrist, causing the Lombax to pause in his worries. Ratchet looked to the little robot sitting next to him.

"I do not see anything 'crazy' or 'weird' about it." Clank didn't look at him with pity, though the robot cracked a comforting smile as he shifted a little closer to Ratchet. "This sounds interesting, though I may not have the proper information to aid you. Would you like to find someone later this morning, while we contact our old friends, to help you figure out the feelings you have been experiencing?" he asked softly.

Beats of silence passed as Ratchet thought it over, eyes still locked on the windowpane. "Yeah… we can try that…" His hands parted and settled beside him. After a moment, he turned his head, ears bobbing slightly, to look down at Clank. "And you're sure it doesn't sound crazy?"

"I am sure, and I am certain that others would not think so." Clank looked up, giving Ratchet the same comforting smile from earlier. "Would you like to try and go back to sleep, or would you like to stay here?"

Serenity met with the weight in his chest, and a low sigh blew through his lips. He settled back, eyes going back to the window. "I think I want to stay out here for now. I feel tired… but… I don't know."

Clank nodded. "Would you like me to stay with you, or would you like for me to head back to sleep?"

"If you could stay here, pal… I would love that, and I'd be really grateful for it."

Clank leaned against Ratchet's side, snuggling up next to his friend. "Then I shall linger for as long as you would like for me to."

The two laid back, and as the early morning hours ticked by, Clank stayed with Ratchet. The moon crawled across Veldin's sky, and the stars disappeared as the suns rose from beyond the horizon. And as the rain died away and the first rays of the sun touched the inside of the small house, the little robot stayed close to the Lombax, Clank sleeping peacefully under Ratchet's tired arm.

* * *

_This was clearly not a page-long, but I am so tired. Also this helped me write out some stuff I've been wrestling around with, and since this series is a way to help me feel better at some points... _

_I'm so close to the end, and it's weird because I'm ready to be done but it's scary to think that this story collection's going to finally come to end. *sigh* I'll figure out my feelings later. For now, it's two days to get this done. One last chapter to write out, and for the next chapter, I'm going to try and write out something I've been promising for a long while now. It's an AU concept, so that'll end this off, and then I'll see what happens after that. _

_Thank you all for supporting this for so long, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter! :)_

_XD_


	20. XX

_(I've been meaning to do this since... Chapter 6 or 7, though I never got around to writing it. After many promises and no results, I figured I'd end this off with what I wanted to write for almost nine months now. Welcome, my general peeps, to the Pirates chapter._

_No one hold me to this, but I might write something else to this universe in the future. Trust me to already start building out in my head, but HHH, we'll see. For now, I hope all you peeps enjoy!)_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And as of February 1st, 2020... after four years of writing out so many first chapters that I've abandoned not long after... after finally pushing myself to focus on a project and see it through to the end... I have finally finished a multichaptered story.**

Raindrops

XX

_**Drabble 1**_

The steady drum of the rain outside the wooden ship cast a sleepy lull over the cabin. Splashing water echoed in from the windowsill to the main room. A lone candle shined on the large desk, casting a small circle of light around the elegantly dressed pirate standing on the chair.

A quill scribbled against a faded parchment, green optics studying every line, loop, and curve of the faded black ink. The little robot reached up, careful not to let the blue sleeve of his tunic dip into the inkwell, and submerged the tip of the feather in the inky blackness. As he pulled his arm back, the robot narrowed his optics in frustration, a low hum of annoyance building up from his voice modulators.

All the clues were there… he just had to piece them together…

A loud clap startled the little robot, and the round head darted up to the cabin door to find a Lombax dressed in black-and-green tunic and trousers stumble into the cabin. A grog mug rested in the Lombax's right hand, and a splitting grin stretched across his face. "Clank, the party's getting crazy! You sure you don't wanna come out and have some fun?"

"Unfotunately, Ratchet, I am unable to break from my work. I believe I am close to cracking the late Captain Slag's code, and we may soon be en-route to a large supply of jewels and gold." As Ratchet closed the door behind him, Clank scratched a blocky finger against his head. "That is, if I am able to decipher the code before the Defense Force can."

Ratchet stepped close, sure to keep his mug straight, and moved around the large desk. Green eyes ran over the map, catching the foreign language in Slag's handwriting and the notes in Clank's, two sets of languages painting different pictures that were yet to intermix. He licked his lips as he shook his head. "I don't know if I can help you out, pal. Is there anything you can think of that I can do to help you puzzle it out?"

"Mm, I do not believe I have anything for you at the moment." Clank looked to his friend. "There is a vague familiarity to the language Slag transcribed his notes in, even though the language is, by the galaxy's terms, nonexistent. I do not understand why, however-"

It was like a candle lit above the little robot's head. The quill dipped back in the inkwell again, darting back to the map before settling on a bare piece of parchment. Notes appeared on the page, and Clank wrote as fast as he could to capture the thought down.

Ratchet leaned over his friend, backing away a few times to give the robot space only for curiosity to push his head back forward. His tail curled, and his body bounced excitedly as he pinched his mouth closed to not distract Clank.

"Using the cipher- adding a five-degree angle there- and accounting for a mid-twilight sun…"

Suddenly Clank paused, setting the quill to the side. A smile grew along his mouthpiece as the feather laid against the wood. "This appears to have many time-specific elements attached to this… though I believe I have finally cracked the code Slag attached to his treasure map."

"So, that means…" a flash sparkled from Ratchet's mouth as the candlelight bounced off one of the gold canine teeth "-grand adventure time?"

"Indeed…" Clank matched the eagerness of his grin. "At dawn tomorrow, we will need to set off towards Hoolifar to complete the first piece of the puzzle."

"Yes!" A bit of grog sloshed over the rim, and the Lombax quickly rubbed away the liquid with the sleeve of his green tunic. "I knew you could do it, pal!"

"Of course, when have I come across a code I have not solved?" The playful glint in his optics shined as Clank tucked the map and his notes in his pocket. "Now that the map has been deciphered, might I join in the celebrations?"

Ratchet handed the little robot his mug. "Thought you'd never ask. Come on, Clank, party's just about to get started…"

* * *

_**Drabble 2**_

_**CLANG! **_

Clank's dirk flew out of his hand, clattering across the wooden deck as thunder and lightning roared overhead. The sound of metal clashing mixed with the torrent of rain, adding to the maelstrom whirling around the two pirate ships.

The robot pirate sneered over his cutlass, slowly stepping towards Clank. He tapped the blade against his wrist. "Ah, ye wee little robit, looks like ye can't properly duel without yer Lombax friend around ye!"

Clank stayed in his defensive position, legs apart and fists raised. "I am able to fight, though admittedly the rain has made things a bit more difficult on my part." His optics blinked back stormwater as he leaned forward. "You will find out, however, that I do not take things lying down."

The pirate laughed, the roaring thunder almost drowning out the evil laughter. "AHAHAHA! Figured ye would, matey, with all the other times you've been under that space rat!"

A punch knocked the pirate square in the jaw, pushing him back.

"Must you be so crude?" Clank asked, a flash of annoyance on his face. Optics narrowed as his arms crossed. "I am simply the first mate and co-captain of the ship. Did your mother never teach you any decent manners?"

Rage painted the taller robot's face, and as a snarl and a form of spittle trickled out of his mouthpiece, the robot drew back his blade, ready for the swipe. "Yer gunna insult me mum like that, ye little trashcan?! Well, I guess it's up te me to show ye the good manners she taught me!"

Lightning flashed off the metal sword as it swung downward.

A gunshot rang out amid the other clashing of sword, and the pirate froze before collapsing to the ground.

Ratchet grinned from behind the pirate's fallen form, holding up Clank's fallen dirk. "Heya, pal!" he yelled over the pouring rain. "Sorry about the wait! Woulda been here sooner, but I wanted to grab this before it fell overboard!"

Clank stepped around the fallen pirate, rushing to his friend. "Thank you, Ratchet, and I am grateful you saved my weapon from becoming fish food."

"Eh, it was no problem." Ratchet flipped the dirk carefully, then stretched out the grip for Clank to grab onto. "Though it was a close save… you might want to stop insulting their mothers so much. A pirate's mom is special to them."

"I shall stop insulting their mothers once they start showing the manners most of their mothers neglected to teach them," Clank said, the hiss of the dirk sliding into its sheath lost in the rain. The robot looked up at the Lombax, a simple smile on his face. "Thank you for watching my back, Ratchet."

"No problem, Clank, though the real question is-" Ratchet held out his hand, back bending slightly "-will you do the same for me?"

Mischief infected Clank's grin. "Always," the little robot confirmed as he grabbed his friend's hand.

Ratchet flipped Clank around, and with a simple click, the robot was held steady on the latch on Ratchet's back. Clank's legs and arms folded, a Hoverpack extending from his side compartments.

Thunder and lightning cracked and tore at the sky, and churning waters swarmed around the ship. All around, Ratchet and Clank's crew fought back against the Blackwater pirates, metal swords dancing in battles as fierce as the storm trapping the ships. The tide of the battle was turning, and the Blackwater pirates shouted in confusion as they searched for someone to give them a direction against the surging defenders.

"Ready, Clank?!" Ratchet yelled over the storm. His head cocked to the side so he could hear Clank's response.

"Always ready, Ratchet!"

And as the sky broke under the force of the maelstrom, the Dread Pirate Ratchet and the Cunning Pirate Clank rushed into the fray, ready to fight off the invading pirates and continue on the grand adventure further awaiting them.

* * *

_And that's it. Oh my god, this is finally done. _

_My chest's so tight because I'm still kinda in shock that I've finally made it. If you've followed me for a while, you'll definitely know that I have the worst time when it comes to finishing the longer projects I start. Speaking of which! Here's something only like seven people will understand... Miss OmniscientPapaya, it took me two-ish weeks, but by God and the light of Orvus himself, I WILL NOT DRAW 25 UNO CARDS BECAUSE **I JUST FINISHED A MULTICHAPTERED STORY**! (Technically a story collection, but the point comes across) _

_So because I want to treat myself and do something selfish, I'm going to include this section at the end of every multichaptered story I complete..._

_**Author's Corner:**_

_-**Start to end date**: March 25, 2019 to February 1, 2020_

_-**What inspired you to make this?**: I got a comment on "Under the Stars" from someone saying that they really liked the Ratchet and Clank friendship fluff. Since I hadn't written fluff for them in a while, it was raining heavily, and I was in the middle of getting some pieces together for the Zootopia collaboration, "The Fluff Files," I mixed all my inspirations together and wrote out the first chapter. _

_-**Favorite chapter(s)?**: 1, 12, 15, 17, and 19. 1 is nice because it still holds a lot of charm; 12 because of how fun it was to write out cowboys; 15 because of... well, Miraculous, and because of how fun the banter was to write; 17 because of Dante's dance... it's so good; and 19 because it's the only "cathartic" chapter that I look back on and not feel embarrassment over. It's still relatively fresh, but it seems to hold strong compared to other chapters. _

_-**Least favorite chapter(s)?**: 5, 11, 14, 18. 5 was very clearly an emotional thing that I needed to get out, and I remember feeling better after writing it. I don't regret writing it, though it REALLY stands out like a sore thumb. 11, 14, and 18 (and in some cases 13, though I like it so I won't count it on the list) were all just chapters that were fun when I wrote them, but don't have much charm to me when I went back to reread them. _

_-**Song that would describe the entirety of the story [collection]?**: This was originally made with a lot of jazz music livestreams, something that had soft music and rain to listen to. I'd say they're the ones that can really cover all the chapters, but if that's not anyone's style, then "Umbrella" by Rihanna definitely is my choice. _

_-**Something you learned from this story?**: I can finish what I start. It will take time. It will take effort. It will make me not want to write for it at times, and it will fill me with inspiration at others. It will take me a large amount of time... but I can finish a project that I start._

_That's it for "Raindrops." I have a sort of companion collection/sequel-ish fic collection planned where it would feature only AUs and Crossovers, though I'm still thinking it over. For right now, I have another project to finish up, Marinette March prompts to work on, and requests to clear out of my overflowing queue. We'll see what happens in the future. _

_Thank you to all of the people that followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! I can't thank you enough for all the support you've given me throughout making this, and thank you thank you thank you for reading. Without you, this story wouldn't be where it is today, and I hope I was able to provide some entertainment. :) Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all you've done for me. _

_And without much more, I'm off to mark this complete. See you all in the next story! :,,D_

_XD_


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